


Happiness Looks Good on You

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Flufftober 2020 [8]
Category: The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fluff, Laughter, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:15:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26895796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: When Cordelia's plans are cancelled and she returns home early, she expects the house to be empty. She's surprised to hear the sound of laughter greet her, and even more surprised to find it's coming from Alastair and Thomas.
Relationships: Alastair Carstairs & Cordelia Carstairs, Alastair Carstairs/Thomas Lightwood
Series: Flufftober 2020 [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949836
Comments: 6
Kudos: 117





	Happiness Looks Good on You

**Author's Note:**

> Flufftober Day 8: Laughter

Cordelia isn’t supposed to be home this early. She had plans to meet with Anna which fell through, and after spending a bit of time trying to get in touch with James or Lucie or any of the others it seems as if everyone is busy for the day - everyone except for her, now.

Resigned to go back home and find some way to entertain herself, Cordelia slipped silently in through the front door, not bothering to announce her arrival as she knew her family was out for the day. At least, they were meant to be. Instead of finding herself greeted by the silence of an empty home, Cordelia hears the sound of laughter echoing down the hallway.

Laughter on its own is hardly a strange sound to encounter in a home, even the Carstairs home, plagued as it’s been lately with troubles and rumors and doubt. But she recognizes the sound of Alastair’s voice, and it catches her entirely off-guard. His voice is raised, but not in the way it sounds when he’s trying to command attention or convey anger; it’s loud because it’s unguarded and unrestrained, as carefree as the laughter that follows his words once more. Cordelia isn’t sure she’s ever heard her brother laugh like that, without it either sounding forced for pleasantries or cut short to remain dignified. This is the first time in a very long time she’s heard Alastair so full of pure, uninhibited joy.

She doesn’t want to eavesdrop again, not like the last time, but her curiosity is piqued and she simply needs to know what’s making her brother so happy. It isn’t _spying_ if she walks by an open door in her own home, she justifies, creeping her way silently up the stairs towards the sound of Alastair’s voice.

Except her brother isn’t alone. WHich she knew, rationally, because if he were alone and laughing like that to himself she would be quite worried. The voice she hears the closer she gets is familiar, but it takes her a moment to place it. Being the quieter of the infamous quartet of Nephilim, it takes her longer to place the second voice as Thomas’.

That serves as Cordelia’s second shock, because she knows of the strain between the Merry Thieves and her brother, for things that happened at the Academy, and while she’s noticed that Thomas is always kind to him, or at least the kindest of the lot, she hadn’t realized they were particularly close. Certainly not _this_ close.

She can see them now, through the open doorway at the far end of the hall - sitting next to one another on the floor of Alastair’s room, so engrossed in one another that they don’t notice her at all. They aren’t doing anything more than talking, sitting so their sides press against one another, with Alastair leaning to rest his head on Thomas’ shoulder after his laughter settles. Thomas smiles a soft, pleasantly surprised smile, as if proud of himself for saying something that made Alastair nearly giddy in response, and as Alastair’s head hits his shoulder Thomas snakes his arm behind Alastair’s back and up to absentmindedly play with a strand of his hair as they continue talking.

She has two choices: if she’s to stay in the house she must make her presence known, because she meant what she said when she promised Alastair she wouldn’t spy on him again, and remaining here without his knowledge, overhearing words said when they thought they were alone, would be betraying that promise. Or, she could sneak away while they’re still distracted, and give Alastair the day of privacy he expected when he invited Thomas over.

Honestly, it isn’t a choice at all. Cordelia knows her brother well enough to be certain that once he knows she’s there he’ll likely send Thomas away entirely. She doesn’t want that. Cordelia _never_ wants the sound of Alastair’s carefree laughter and the elation that causes it to end.

She wishes desperately that Alastair would be comfortable enough to simply continue his day with Thomas despite her presence, and hopefully one day he will be. Until then, she slips quietly back down the hall and out the front door, content to keep herself entertained in the city for a few hours longer.

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) and also on [Twitter](http://www.twitter.com/By_The_Angell)! <3 )


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